Other than me
by beautifulXflowerXJo
Summary: Hermione is dressed up for once and coincidentally Victor Krum is visiting Hogwarts that same day. Draco is having a hard time dealing with the fact that Hermione might possibly like someone other than him. DracoHermione. OneShot.


_**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! It belongs to J. K. Rowling. The idea/storyline is also not mine, so I don't want anybody saying that I stole it, passing it off as mine! I did warn =]]**_

Draco didn't know exactly when he had actually started paying attention to her. _'Her'_ being the Gryffindor princess who had transformed from a bushy-haired, annoying, know-it-all little girl to a hot-headed, still annoying (though better) and beautiful (even _he_ would admit that) young woman.

He was always observant of course but he never really paid attention specifically to her. She was not of interest to him…

So why was it that the moment she walked through the door of the classroom he noticed she had dressed differently than any of the other days before? It was still very early for the lesson and the only people in the room were him, her and her friends he had grown to endure. The three of them luckily didn't notice him though.

He wasn't the only one who noticed the change of course and, thankfully, Weaselbee was blunt enough to ask her why she wasn't wearing her normal clothes. If the weasel hadn't asked, well, Draco didn't know exactly how long it would be before the question would burst from his own mouth (albeit in a calm and cool manner) and ruin his cover.

Hermione stared at her friends worriedly. "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?" She did a little spin. "Should I change?"

"Why are you even wearing that?" Ron asked and wrinkled his nose. "And something smells like strawberries in here."

Hermione's face flushed. "It's my shampoo."

"You changed your shampoo?" Harry leaned forward in his seat. "What's going on, Herm? Is someone special coming over later?" His face took on a look of mocking hurt. "You don't like someone other than me do you?" he grinned.

"Don't be silly, you idiot," Hermione laughed and slapped his arm lightly. "I just felt like dressing up a bit today."

Draco watched silently, but he absorbed everything like a sponge. At the age of sixteen, he believed he knew the girl well enough to know that she was not the type of person to randomly dress up. She definitely wasn't the same old Hermione Granger he had known back then.

"So," it was clear by her tone that the girl was changing the subject. "Did you hear about who's coming over this afternoon?"

Ron gave her a questioningly gaze. "Who, Hermione?"

Draco remained silent.

"I heard it from McGonagall yesterday," Hermione sat down next to her two comrades. "Igor Karkaroff, Viktor Krum and a few others from his school are coming to Hogwarts. Karkaroff has some business to attend with Dumbledore."

Draco unconsciously narrowed his eyes. His impression of Krum was not a good one. In his mind, the Bulgarian Quidditch player would always be the person who had taken Hermione to the Yule Ball right under his nose (not that he was going to ask her or anything, it just made him feel better at the time knowing that she didn't have a date yet).

"I hope I will get to see Victor today or tomorrow." Draco was pulled out of his thoughts to listen to what Hermione was saying. "He seems so lonely sometimes and he hardly ever initiates a conversation, even though we were together practically all the time before the Ball in fourth year."

"Maybe Hermione still has a thing for Krum." Harry wiggled his eyebrows. It was meant to be a joke, but Draco only felt a pang of something unfamiliar in the pit of his stomach. He looked down and realized that his fists were clenched.

"Are you kidding?" Hermione gave Ron a little shove. "I mean, not that he isn't good-looking or anything…" Draco narrowed his eyes even more. "…but I don't think he and I would work out, you know, because…"

She abruptly cut her sentence off, which caused Draco's suspicion to rise.

"Hermione?"

"I have to go to the library" Hermione suddenly stood up.

"What?" Ron whined. "But you just got here!"

"I'll see you later," she waved to them with a smile (which to Draco seemed forced) on her face. "Bye Ron, Harry."

She darted out, leaving the boys to wonder what the heck was going on.

* * *

><p>Hermione was practically sprinting down the corridors. Her heart was pounding at a rate she knew was not healthy and her hands wouldn't stop trembling.<p>

_Stupid! Stupid! _She reprimanded herself. _You almost __told them __that you like __Draco__! _

She stopped running when she believed she was far enough, and leaned against a nearby wall to calm herself.

A year ago when Draco had finally stopped making fun of her, she had been overjoyed. They had even started talking civilly with each other without all the nasty insults. But that feeling had slowly turned into something more when she first laid eyes on him in the beginning of fifth year. He was as handsome as ever.

Overtime, he seemed to approve of her new character and Hermione wanted things to stay that way.

Her crush for him was never really mentioned as the year went by but that didn't mean it didn't exist. But Hermione cherished the friendship they had created and had at the moment and she was terrified that one little mistake would immediately snap the thin string holding their bond together.

_If he knew I liked him… _she thought miserably …_he'__ll__ immediately think that I'm __just another one of the girls drooling over him__ and __he'll __go back to hating__ me. _

* * *

><p>Draco just couldn't seem to get Hermione out of his head.<p>

He had gone out of the classroom a long time ago, and now he found himself wandering the corridors of Hogwarts aimlessly.

The question just wouldn't leave his mind: _Why was __Hermione __dressed up today? _

He tried to remember if it was anything special. Her birthday? No… that wasn't for another two months or so. And yes, he _did_ remember her birthday (although that was another one of those things that he would never admit).

And Krum… again, that unfamiliar feeling resurfaced. Draco already disliked the guy and now to add insult to injury, there was a possibility that Hermione liked that moron better than _him. _

Wait.._. _Where had _that _thought come from?

Draco scoffed to himself. Did he really care if Hermione liked anyone better than him? No, definitely not… there was no way. He scowled. _Damn__it. _

The more he thought about it, the more his thoughts became muddled. What _exactly _was he feeling anyway?

Now, Draco Malfoy was not stupid. He had a slight suspicion of what he was feeling. It was called jealousy. But, being the person that he was, Draco submerged himself in self-denial and refused to believe any of the nonsense his logical self was telling him.

This was not happening.

* * *

><p>Hermione stood next to McGonagall and Dumbledore as the door was pushed open and Igor Karkaroff and Victor Krum stepped in.<p>

"You're early." Dumbledore told Karkaroff as he shook his hand. "The others won't be here for another hour or so but no matter." He smiled "We can sit and talk."

Karkaroff looked at Krum. "Take a walk Victor. I'll call you when we're finished."

"Why don't you come with me?" Hermione gave him the brightest smile she could muster. They weren't exactly friends but they acknowledged each other. "I'll update you on things in Hogwarts."

The boy followed her wordlessly out the door.

"So," she said as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Where'd you like to go?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, looking at her. "I will go where you take me."

Hermione was glad at how much he had improved his English since last time. Of course, he was still silent mostly and seemed broody to a stranger's eyes, but there had definitely been a change in him, for the better.

"Well, I was going to go to the Great Hall later on," she started walking. "But would you like to accompany me now?"

Victor nodded his head as he followed her.

* * *

><p>Draco was on his way to the Slytherin Common Room when he heard a laugh.<p>

He could recognize that sound anywhere.

"Victor…" A stifled giggle.

Draco narrowed his eyes. _Krum__ again? _

"…I know I told you a yellow rose means friendship." another laugh. "And I know you and Cedric became really close in the Tri-Wizard Tournament but I think he would be a little freaked out if you gave him one." (_A/N: In this story Cedric didn't die in fourth year, I just like him too much to kill him. ;])_

There was a slightly embarrassed, though mostly disgruntled grunt as a reply.

This time, Draco turned around to look. There she was… and she was with Krum.

"Hey, isn't that Hermione and Krum?"

Draco glanced back at two girls who had stopped in the corridor to observe.

"They look good together don't they?"

_No, they don't. _The thought came to mind before he could stop himself.

"It would be so cute if they were to become a couple."

Draco had had enough. Turning back around, he stalked out past the gossiping girls. He had already forgotten where his previous destination was. He just wanted to get the hell out of there and go somewhere isolated so he could release his punch on unsuspecting castle walls.

Rage boiled inside of him and Draco didn't even bother to ask what the heck he was feeling at seeing Hermione with someone else.

Like said before, Draco Malfoy was not stupid.

There was no use in denying it anymore.

He _liked _Hermione Granger.

* * *

><p>It was an hour later when he wandered out of the Common Room.<p>

"Draco?"

He grimaced inwardly. Why was it that she popped out every time he didn't want to see her? "What are you doing here?"

Unaware that her presence was not wanted, Hermione took a step closer to him. "I just followed Victor back to Dumbledore's office. They have a meeting now."

Draco looked away. _Victor__…_ He never wanted to hear that name again.

"Wait, Draco!" she ran up to him. "You wanna walk to the Great Hall with me? I mean, since we're both headed there for dinner."

"No."

Hermione was struck with surprise as her eyes saddened. "Why not?" He didn't deny her before. A sudden fear seized her. Had he started hating her again!

Draco couldn't believe this. How could it be that he was being affected by a mere look from this girl? It was ridiculous!

"Draco…?"

"Well, are you coming or not?"

The panic decreased. So he didn't hate her after all.

_He may not hate me… _Hermione stared at her feet as they walked. _But he's definitely mad at me about something…_

Their walk was silent, which was nothing out of the ordinary but Draco seemed to be keeping his distance more than usual today. And there was a dangerous aura surrounding him that Hermione was pretty sure that even he was not aware of it.

She bit her lip in nervousness, before taking a deep breath. "Draco… why are you mad at me?"

He turned his gaze onto her, his eyes unreadable. He was the epitome of composed.

Inside however, he was a mess. _Why am I mad? _He would have laughed. _I'm not mad. Why would I be mad? _

He gritted his teeth. _Damn__it. _Just thinking about her with Krum made him want to strangle something. _Why didn't she tell me that she liked him sooner? Does__n't she __trust me? _"Why would you think I'm mad…"

"I can tell you're mad," she mumbled. "But I don't know what I did wrong…"

Another thought emerged, and it only made him even more irritated. _And why in the world does she even like him? How is he better than me? _His pride was being unmercifully beaten. _What does he have that I don't? _

He couldn't take it anymore, and he suddenly struck out and grabbed her arms. "Hermione…" his voice was somewhat strained, as though he couldn't wait to get what was on his mind out into the open. "Tell me… why you like him. Just tell me."

She stared at him for awhile, before asking confused "Who?"

"Victor Krum!" he snarled. "Why do you like him? I want to know!"

Her face showed shock, then realization, then mischievousness. She smirked in an impish manner. "Are you… jealous?"

He dropped his hands and took a step back. "I never said I was." the excuse sounded lame even to his ears. "I just want to know why you like him…" _More than me. _

Hermione gave a laugh. "Draco, I never said anything about liking Victor. I don't even know where you got that thought from."

"You dressed up for him," he blurted out. "And you were headed with him for the Great Hall earlier."

Hermione gave him a long look and then another laugh. "I dressed up because Ginny really wanted me to be her Barbie doll and dress me up, she wouldn't leave me alone. And I was showing Victor around because he and Karkaroff were early for the meeting." She cocked her head and smiled. "Anything else?"

Draco faltered, though it was hardly noticeable. He had run out of excuses. She slowly walked over to him. "Now tell me why you're mad." She was so close to him, he couldn't think clearly.

"I…" Draco couldn't believe he was being coaxed into telling her that he was jealous. "I didn't like it."

"So you were jealous," she stated matter-of-factly.

Draco turned away, his pride deflating quickly. He couldn't believe this was happening to _him, _of all people.

Suddenly two small arms circled around his waist, and he glanced down to see that Hermione had pressed herself into his chest.

"There's no one other than you," she mumbled against his shirt. "It's always been you."

Hesitantly, he returned the embrace wrapping his arms around her smaller form and leaning his head against hers.

He smirked to himself.

There had better _not _be someone other than him.


End file.
